A Modern L.A. Home Mixes California Mediterranean With Art Deco Vibes

This new two-story home in Los Angeles blends Art Deco with a modern, minimalist edge.

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In the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles, architecture firm Hsu McCullough designed a new home for a young family after a planned renovation of their existing 1925 home revealed an unworkable structure. The totally new Moore Residence is designed to meet the family's every need while fitting in with the 1920s and 1930s homes found throughout the neighborhood.

The building's crisp, white facade nods to the neighboring white stucco homes that were constructed in the 1920s and 1930s. The elongated arched windows give the exterior a 1920s Art Deco feel.

The family sought a design that suggested California Mediterranean in terms of materials and colors. They also wanted several gathering spaces throughout the home—both indoors and out—that would accommodate the family of four.

The multiple planes of the facade create a complex form, allowing part of the second floor to hide behind the white plaster cement mass in front.

At the rear, a large open patio with wood planks and an outdoor eating space allow for indoor-outdoor living.

The architects interpreted these requests and developed a white exterior with punched and horizontal windows, wood siding, wood decking, and black window frames. The material palette is simple, and natural light fills every room. In order to carve out enough room for the shared spaces requested by the client, the architects sized down some of the bedrooms and condensed closet and bathroom space.

A custom steel and Douglas fir wood trellis provides some relief from the strong California sun, which bounces off the white walls. The trellis is stained with a custom color.

The result is a very open first floor. The den and music room sit near the kitchen, which opens out onto the dining room and an exterior dining deck. The dining room has a particularly strong connection to the outdoors, with a floor-to-ceiling expanse of glass looking onto the driveway, which is paved in textured concrete.

The staircase is made from wood and metal, tying together other simple materials found throughout the home. The white oak is echoed by the flooring of the ground floor, while the black oxide finish reflects the dark bronze finish of the doors and windows.

A central staircase leads to the second floor, which contains three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a sizable outdoor deck outfitted with a movie screen and fire pit. The deck allows for evening ocean breezes while providing privacy and some shade from the sun.